Garment shaping bag with resilient inserts



g 3 68 A. ALOI 3,396,881

GARMENT SHAPING BAG WITH RESILIENT INSERTS Filed June 27. 1966 INVENTOK.

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United States Patent 01 lice 3,396,881 Patented Aug. 13, 1968 3,396,881 GARMENT SHAPING BAG WITH RESILIENT INSERTS Alfred Aloi, 116 Old Bergen Road, Jersey City, NJ. 07305 Filed June 27, 1966, Ser. No. 560,439 6 Claims. (Cl. 223-67) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bag for shaping garments employed in garment finishing machines having a plurality of vertically spaced circumferentially disposed resilient inserts oriented in circumferential channels formed by a band of fabric material stitched to the inner surface of the bag at vertically spaced positions with the ends of the band being spaced from each other to provide access to the channel. The ends of the resilient inserts are connected to an inelastic strip attached to the inner surface of the bag between the ends of the band with the ends of the resilient insert and the ends of the inelastic strip having interconnecting fastening elements associated therewith. The resilient insert is in the form of a coil spring or a strip of elastic resilient material. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in garment shaping bags used in dry cleaning establishments, or the like, on garment finishing machines wherein the garment is subjected to treatment by steam or other fluid for the purpose of pressing and removal of wrinkles.

Conventional garment finishing machines are usually provided with a supporting rack or frame on which the bag is positioned, and a garment to be treated is draped over the bag-enclosed frame, whereupon steam or other treating fluid is admitted under pressure into the bag. The bag thus becomes pressed against the inside of the garment and steam passing through the pores of the bag cooperates in the pressing operation to remove wrinkles. In the use of such conventional machines, the operator was constantly faced with the necessity of regulating the amount of steam entering the bag, so as to attain reasonably satisfactory results in the pressing procedure.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved bag structure which is self-adjusting and eliminates much of the conventional necessity of regulating the steam supply, thus affording a less hazardous operation with speedier and more efficient results.

As such, the improved bag of the invention is provided with circumferentially extending channels formed by circumferential \bands. Resiliently yieldable inserts are disposed in the channels and automatically adjust the bag for an efficient pressing action on a garment positioned thereon.

The improved bag of the invention is simple in construction, efiicient and dependable in operation, and lends itself to convenient and economical manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional garment finishing machine, showing the improved bag of the invention on the machine rack;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the improved bag per se, the same being partially broken away to reveal its construction;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary inside elevational view showing the mounting of one of the inserts in the bag; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary detail, similar to that shown in FIGURE 4, but illustrating a slightly modified arrangement.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the improved garment shaping bag of the invention is designated generally by the reference character 10 which, in FIGURE 1, is shown in position on the supporting rack of a conventional garment finishing machine 11. Portions of the machine rack are shown at 12 as projecting through arm openings 13 at the sides of the upper portion of the bag 10, such openings being closable by slide fasteners 14 in accordance with conventional practice. Also, the machine rack includes the usual neck support 15 projecting through a neck opening 16 at the top of the bag, and as is also customary, the lower end of the bag is equipped with a drawstring 17 for fastening the bag on an annular support 18 of the machine.

In accordance with the invention, the bag 10 is provided at the inside thereof with a plurality of vertically spaced, circumferentially extending bands 19, such bands assuming the form of strips of fabric which are stitched along their longitudinal edges to the material of the bag, as indicated by the stitching 20 thus forming circumferential channels. The uppermost of the band-s 19 is disposed in the waist of the bag, while the other bands in the set are located in the lower portion of the bag below the waist, in vertically spaced relation from one another and from the band at the Waist, substantially as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2.

Each channel defined by a band 19 contains an elongated, circumferentially extending, resiliently yieldable insert 21 which, as exemplified in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, may comprise an elastic band.

Each band 19 has transversely spaced, adjacent ends, and a non-elastic strip of fabric material 22 is secured, as by stitching 23, to the inner surface of the bag so that it extends transversely in the space between the adjacent ends of the band 19. The ends of the strip 22 are provided with suitable separable fasteners, as for example, hooks 24 which are engaged by coacting fasteners such as the eyes 25 secured to the ends of the insert 21. In this manner, the ends of each insert 21 are anchored to the strip 22 and, hence, to the bag 10 itself, but it will be understood that the insert is movable circum-ferentially within the associated channel formed by the band 19 under expansion or contraction of the bag.

When the elastic inserts 21 are in their relaxed condition, the bands 19 as Well as regions of the bag material which overlie them will become somewhat milled as will be apparent from FIGURE 3. However, when the apparatus is in use and steam is admitted into the bag, the resilient inserts 21 will effectively control expansion of the bag so as to properly fit the size and shape of a particular garment being processed, without the machine operator having to constantly regulate the amount of steam admitted into the bag.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a slightly modified arrangement wherein the resilient inserts are in the form of tension springs 26 positioned in the channels formed by the bands 19, such springs being used in place of the aforementioned elastic bands 21. The tension springs 26 are provided with terminal eyes 27 for convenient connection to the books 24 on the straps 22.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A garment shaping bag for use on a rack of a garment finishing machine, said bag comprising a vertically elongated bag body having a waist and upper and lower body portions respectively above and below the waist, a plurality of circumferentially extending bands provided in the waist of said body and in the lower body portion in vertically spaced relation from the waist and from one another, each band being attached to the inner surface of said body by spaced circumferential lines of stitching thereby defining a channel between the band and bag body, and an elongated insert of resiliently yieldable material extending circumferentially in each of the channels, each of said bands having transversely spaced adjacent ends, each of said inserts having spaced adjacent ends, and means connected to the spaced adjacent ends of the insert in each band for attaching the same to said bag body in the space between the ends of the band.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said connecting and attaching means of each insert comprises a non-elastic strip secured to said bag body transversely between the ends of said band, fastener elements provided at the ends of said strip, and co'acting fastener elements provided at the ends of said insert.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said inserts comprise an elastic band.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said inserts comprise tension springs.

5. In a garment shaping bag, the combination of a vertically elongated bag body adapted to be supported on a rack of a garment finishing machine, at least one circumferentially extending band of fabric material provided intermediate the ends of said bag body and attached to the inner surface of the bag body by vertically spaced circumferential rows of stitching to define a circumferential channel, and an elongated insert of flexible material extending yieldably and circumferentially in the channel between said body and band, said insert extending substantially throughout the circumferential dimension of the bag body, and means connected with said insert for enabling disconnecting at least one portion of the insert to enable insertion and removal of the insert in relation to the channel, said insert being normally biased to a contracted position and expanded by steam entering the bag thereby automatically controlling expansion of the bag,

6. The structure as defined in claim 5 wherein said means connected with said insert includes a connecting strip of flexible material, said band being discontinuous in the area overlying said connecting strip, said connecting strip being connected to the bag body, hook means connecting said connector strip to the ends of said insert for releasably retaining the insert in said channel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,319,434 5/1943 Pungor 22367 2,417,838 3/1947 Paris 223-67 2,720,347 10/ 1955 Jackson 223-67 2,927,718 3/ 1960' Jackson 223-67 2,990,983 7/ 1961 Jackson 22367 3,286,889 11/1966 Sohlemon 223-70 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

